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Ukraine approves Bird of Prey drone system for combat

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Ukraine approves Bird of Prey drone system for combat
Bird of Prey, Ukraine’s domestically produced unmanned aviation system, in a photo published on March 26, 2025. (Ukraine’s Defense Ministry / Telegram)

Ukraine's Defense Ministry announced on March 26 that it has approved the domestically produced Bird of Prey unmanned aviation system for combat operations.

The system was developed based on battlefield experience, optimizing its effectiveness against enemy vehicles and fortified positions, the ministry said.

The drones are equipped with payloads capable of striking heavy equipment such as tanks, armored personnel carriers, and self-propelled artillery, as well as fortified dugouts.

"The Bird of Prey has already proven its effectiveness in destroying enemy armored vehicles and fortified firing positions," the statement reads.

Kyiv has expanded its domestic drone production over the past year, integrating drones into reconnaissance and combat operations. On Feb. 9, the Defense Ministry launched the "Drone Line" initiative to accelerate battlefield deployment.

Ukraine has also developed long-range missile-drone hybrids, including the Palianytsia and Peklo models, which use turbojet engines as cruise missile alternatives. President Volodymyr Zelensky has set a target of producing at least 30,000 long-range drones in 2025.

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Tim Zadorozhnyy

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Tim Zadorozhnyy is a reporter at The Kyiv Independent, covering foreign policy, U.S.-Ukraine relations, and political developments across Europe and Russia. Based in Warsaw, he is pursuing studies in International Relations and European Studies. Tim began his career at a local television channel in Odesa, working there for two years from the start of Russia's full-scale war against Ukraine. After relocating to Warsaw, he spent a year and a half at the Belarusian opposition media outlet NEXTA, initially as a news anchor and later as managing editor.

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